Corning,New York

Corning is a small town located in Fingerlake Region.The Corning Museum of Glass is one of those places that offers some unexpected wonders into a glimpse of more than 3,500 years of art and historic glass. Daily live glassblowing shows, demonstrations by special guest artists from around the world and an opportunity to make your own glass art are available.  

The museum houses the largest collection of art glass in the world dating back to the time of pyramids to the contemporary glass art of today.

This punch bowl set withe dozens of matching glasses was a showstopping piece as well as this contemporary coiled piece of glass. Uncoiled this piece would stretch a mile.  

This whimsical piece showcasing shelves of glassware caught my attention. I spied on shelf three, some green Corning ware water glasses we once owned.  

These colorful bowl were constructed out of glass threads. 

Large, small and in between, the astounding array of glass pieces captured our attention. 

Down the street we found the Rockwell Museum named for native Corning collectors, Bob and Hertha Rockwell. They were local business owners who amassed an incredible collection of American art and artifacts.The diverse collection of original American masterpieces also includes a mix of contemporary Native American art alongside traditional bronze sculptures, landscape paintings and other works that embody America and the migration west. This was a thought provoking display of tagged quilts/blankets.

Blanket Stories Sculpture is a 14-foot totem of the personal stories and histories of the Steuben County and greater New York community. Rockwell Museum offers a creative interactive approach to keeping kids busy. Magnet boards were available with photos of selected art pieces in the museum. Once each square is covered with a magnet and the board filled, kids turned the board in for a prize at the front desk.

 

Andy Warhol was an American artist, director and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. He painted everything from soup cans, to Brillo pads to Marilyn Monroe. Patrons can channel their artistic spirit at the art lab designing a soup can cover.

Only a teacher and one from Minnesota would get excited hearing Corning had an art lab for children around the corner in another building called Step into Art. Here we found an interactive traveling display created by the Minnesota Children's Museum. What a coincidence finding this exhibit. 

After 6 hours exploring three different museums, it was time for a relaxing dinner at Glenora, the oldest winery in the Fingerlake Region. 

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